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9 Best Santa Beards of the Silver Screen

Tonight, and into this morning, millions of children will go to bed with eager anticipation of the surprises they’re in for when they wake up. It can certainly be a magical night. And, no doubt, a big reason why is that white bearded, big bellied, jolly ol’ fellow in the middle of it all. That’s right. To many, Santa Claus is Christmas! Which is why it’s not shocking that there are hundreds of films centered around Santa and the holiday season he’s synonymous with.

And what’s the one thing that every Santa has in common? A beard. It doesn’t matter if it’s short, long, real, or fake, Santa has a beard.

A big reason why all modern day Santas are portrayed with a beard, believe it or not, is all because of an advertising campaign Coca-Cola came up with in the 1930s. But which beards are worthy of praise? Here is my list of top Santa beards (and yes, I checked it twice):

“Miracle on 34th Street” (1994)

Personally, I find this Santa’s (Richard Attenborough) beard just a tad short, but it’s as white as the freshly fallen snow. And it’s real. Both of those alone make it worthy to be on this list.

“The Polar Express”

Yes, I’m aware that the movie is animated. But Santa’s (Tom Hanks) beard is an epic one nonetheless. It also happens to be one of my guilty pleasures during the holiday season. Great movie with a great message.

“Get Santa”

Probably one of the lesser known Santa movies (starring Jim Broadbent), but the beard is legit. Just look at it!

“Fred Claus”

Not really a good movie, but Santa (Paul Giamatti) has quite the beard and hair combo. It almost makes watching the movie worth it. Almost.

“Elf”

Santa (Edward Asner) didn’t have the biggest of parts in this movie, but certainly one of the top Santa beards out there. It’s nicely manicured, a good length, and the perfect white.

“The Santa Clause”

Regardless of what you think of the movie (and the following two sequels) you have to admit Santa’s (Tim Allen) flowing white beard is quite impressive. Definitely worthy of the list.

“I am Santa Claus”

This is actually a documentary that follows several men around who portray Santa Claus. All have real beards. All are pretty damn impressive. And that’s exactly why they are on this list.

“Santa Claus: The Movie”

This movie came out in the mid 80s and was a childhood favorite of mine. I remember thinking “this is how Santa (David Huddleston) is supposed to look.” And a big reason for that? That epic bushy beard.

It’s a hard one to beat, but there is one that does just that.

“Miracle on 34th Street” (1947)

Besides being one of the best Christmas movies of all time, this Santa (Edmund Gwenn) and his beard set the standard. Enough said.

Comparing beards is probably as old as growing them. It’s only natural. I’m sure there are some epic Santa beards out there that I missed. Please share if you know of any that aren’t on this list. In the meantime, hopefully Santa fills your stockings with plenty of goodies and your Christmas is filled with joy!

About the author:

By day, Keith King is a news producer in Dallas; by night, he’s a freelance writer. He runs his own travel blog called KeithKingReport.com. When he is not working you’ll find Keith looking for something new to experience. As for his beard, yeah, it’s growing on him (eh?!). You can follow him (and his beard) on Twitter: @The_KeithKing, IG: KeithKingReport.